ADAPT: A 3 Degrees of Freedom Reconfigurable Force Balanced Parallel Manipulator for Aerial Applications

In this paper, we present the ADAPT, a novel reconfigurable force-balanced parallel manipulator for spatial motions and interaction capabilities underneath a drone. The reconfigurable aspect allows different motion-based 3-DoF operation modes like translational, rotational, planar, and so on, without the need for disassembly. For the purpose of...

A Curved Compliant Differential Mechanism With Neutral Stability

Differential mechanisms are remarkable mechanical elements that are widely utilized in various systems; nevertheless, conventional differential mechanisms are heavy and difficult to use in applications with limited design space. In this paper, a curved lightweight compliant type of differential mechanism is presented. This mechanism acquires...

A Design Tool for Passive Wrist Support

A design tool for passive wrist support using compliant spatial beams as gravity balancer is presented. The aim of this assistive device is to reduce required effort for pronation-supination and flexion-extension by 70% to help patients with muscular weakness keeping their hand’s posture and doing daily tasks, while the forearm is rested. To...

Kinematic synthesis using reinforcement learning

The presented research demonstrates the synthesis of two-dimensional kinematic mechanisms using feature-based reinforcement learning. As a running example the classic challenge of designing a straight-line mechanism is adopted: a mechanism capable of tracing a straight line as part of its trajectory. This paper presents a basic framework,...

Design of an electrohydraulic hand orthosis for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy using commercially available components

People with Duchenne muscular dystrophy are currently in need of assistive robotics to improve their hand function and have a better quality of life. However, none of the available active hand orthoses is able to address to their specific needs. In this study, the use of hydraulic technology is proposed in the design of an active hand...

Dilational triangulated shells using pantographs

Dilational structures are one degree of freedom structures able to change their size without changing their global shape. In this paper, we present a method to create dilational shells with arbitrary curvature. For this, we designed triangular tiles, which can be placed on a triangulation of the desired surface. We present the method and...

Exploratory design of a compliant mechanism for a dynamic hand orthosis: Lessons learned

This study does not describe a success-story. Instead, it describes an exploratory process and the lessons learned while designing a compliant mechanism for a dynamic hand orthosis. Tools from engineering optimization and rapid prototyping techniques were used, with the goal to design a mechanism to compensate for hypertonic or contracted finger...

Design of an environmentally interactive continuum manipulator

Continuum manipulators are high degree of freedom structures that can use their increased degrees of freedom to navigate through an environment with obstacles. This type of manipulator is underactuated, which make them promising for adapting to their environments. However, current research is mainly focused on accurate positioning and obstacle...

Parameter analysis for the design of statically balanced serial linkages using a stiffness matrix approach with Cartesian coordinates

A statically balanced system is in equilibrium in every pose. In classical balancing solutions for serial linkages, each DOF is balanced by an independent element. Disadvantages are increased mass and inertia for counter-mass, and auxiliary links for spring solutions. Recent literature presents a method for balancing serial linkages without...

A monolithic compliant large-range gravity balancer

A new monolithic fully compliant gravity balancer is designed with help of a design approach based on shape optimization. The balancer consists of one single complex-shaped beam on which the weight is attached. The beam is modeled as a planar isogeometric Bernoulli beam. The goal function of the optimization consists of an energy based...